Music Publishing Podcast

Originally aired 11/21/2017 Composer Darien Shulman returns to talk about his experience writing for a new television series: how he got the job, the process from beginning to end, and what he learned along the way about organization and workflow. Links: Darien Shulman Netflix: American Vandal

Originally aired 11/6/2017 After a Summer hiatus, Dennis returns for a conversation with composers Elizabeth Alexander and J. David Moore, two of the founding members of the Independent Music Publishers Cooperative, a group of eight composer-publishers working together to market and distribute their music. The cooperative's shared website provides a central hub where directors and performers can browse the group's individual catalogs simultaneously, and serves as a guide to the composers' best work. Links: Independent Music Publishers Cooperative IMP on Facebook Elizabeth Alexander J. David Moore

Originally aired 8/15/2017 In case you haven't yet heard the news, composer David Maslanka passed away last week on August 6 after a brief battle with cancer. David, along with his son Matthew, was a guest on the show back in January for Episode #38. Reading other composers' and performers' reminiscences of him online, it's impossible to overlook the impact he's had in our corner of the world and beyond. From his simple exhortation for composers to Just Show Up when it comes to writing every day, to his acknowledgement about our craft that “nothing about what we do is convenient,” he has been a source of encouragement and inspiration for many composers over the decades. So this week, in honor of his memory, I'm rebroadcasting episode 38 on Forging Your Own Path with David Maslanka. Links: David Maslanka The Portfolio Composer: In Memoriam David Maslanka

Originally aired 8/7/2017 BONUS CONTENT: Dennis and the anthology curators do a live Q&A session » Watch the video here »

Originally aired 8/7/2017 This week, Garrett Hope of The Portfolio Composer joins Dennis to make a few exciting announcements, including a new partnership with the American Composers Forum, a new distribution outlet for self-published composers, and gigantic new call for scores – all to make composers' lives better. BONUS CONTENT: Dennis and the anthology curators do a live Q&A session » Watch the video here » Links: NewMusicShelf NewMusicShelf Anthologies Call for Scores American Composers Forum The Portfolio Composer: The Vexing Problem of Unplanned Vacations

Originally aired 7/25/2017 Ed Windels returns to talk about the benefits and drawbacks of having a full-time day job in addition to your composing. Links: Ed Windels Ed on Twitter Ed on Soundcloud

Originally aired 7/18/2017 Composer Tony Manfredonia returns to talk about his bifurcated career of writing concert music and music for video games. Links: Tony Manfredonia Tony on Twitter Tony on Soundcloud Wayward Isles teaser trailer

Originally aired 7/3/2017 Composer Griffin Candey talks about the importance of securing performances of new, large-scale works before you write them. Links: Griffin Candey Griffin on Twitter Sweets by Kate OperaRox

Originally aired 6/13/2017 This week, I'm joined by composers Jamie Leigh Sampson and Andrew Martin Smith, the co-founders of ADJ•ective New Music, as they talk about the benefits and challenges of forming a composer collective, how they handle publishing and distribution for their composers, and the value they've found in running a podcast about new music. Links: ADJ•ective New Music ADJ on Twitter Lexical Tones podcast

Originally aired 6/4/2017 Mezzo-soprano Megan Ihnen and composer Alex Shapiro return to MPP to talk about the ins and outs of commissioning new music from the perspective of the composer and the commissioner. In the course of the conversation, we discussed: Making both sides happy Contracts Making smaller, regular payments Consortia Arrangements/Adaptations 802 Low Budget Agreements Acting as a collaborative partner Taxes Links: Alex Shapiro Megan Ihnen Alex Shapiro on NewMusicBox: “Let's Make a List” New Music USA commissioning resources

Originally aired 5/30/2017 Composer Garrett Schumann talks about building a local music scene, investing in yourself, and the nuts and bolts of economical live streaming. Links: Garrett Schumann Garrett on Twitter Æpex Contemporary Performance Æpex on Facebook & Twitter The Awesome Foundation Salt Arts Documentation Tech mentioned on the show: Zoom H4N Logitech C920 Open Broadcaster Software

Originally aired 5/22/2017 MPP celebrates one year of episodes with some reflection on the past year, a look ahead to the coming months, and a drink with return guest Jay Venute. Links: Jay on Twitter Jay Venute: Jerk Birds

Originally aired 5/21/2017 Dennis is joined by composers Tony Manfredonia and Ed Windels to share even more reactions to the third New Music Gathering, held in Bowling Green, OH. Links: Tony Manfredonia Ed Windels REXduo Ed Windels: 5 to 9 Composer

Originally aired May 18, 2017 Dennis is joined by soprano Elisabeth Halliday and composer Spencer Arias to talk about their reactions to the third New Music Gathering, held in Bowling Green, OH. Links: New Music Gathering Elisabeth Halliday Spencer Arias Steven Schick: In Pursuit of an Externally Facing Artistic Practice ÆPEX Contemporary Performance

Originally aired 5/8/2017 Entertainment lawyer Marc Ostrow returns to MPP to talk about recent legal and legislative developments in copyright and licensing, including bipartisan legislation to make the Register of Copyrights a Presidential Appointment, and the Fair Play Fair Pay Act. Links: Marc Ostrow H.R.1695 – Register of Copyrights Selection and Accountability Act of 2017 “A Declaration of Independence for the Copyright Office” H.R.1836 – Fair Play Fair Pay Act of 2017 Music Tech Policy: What's in the New Fair Play, Fair Pay Act? Will the Fair Play Fair Pay Act Get a Fair Hearing This Time?

Originally aired 4/27/2017 Composer/violist Martha Mooke talks about improvisation, following your passions, and finding balance. Links: Martha Mooke Martha on Facebook NewMusicBox: “Martha Mooke: Walls, Windows, and Doors” Fuse Project: Revolution x3 (May 19, 2017) ASCAP Thru the Walls The Other Graduation (May 6, 2017)

Originally aired 4/17/2017 Composer & bassist Brian Coughlin has been performing, recording, and touring with the Fireworks Ensemble, which he founded in 2000. The six member ensemble plays in a wide variety of styles, emphasizing its “brazenly inclusive approach to repertoire.” During the course of our conversation, Brian and I talked about non-linear career paths, meaningful collaborations, being open to a variety of experiences, and learning from your mistakes. Links: Fireworks Ensemble

Originally aired 4/11/2017 Robert Paterson is a composer whose career has many facets: he's a percussionist, he conducts, he runs a successful new music ensemble, he runs a boutique record label, and he's launching a new festival of new music in 2018. He joins me this week to talk about running composition competitions, believing in yourself, dealing with rejection, and having support systems in place. Links: Robert Paterson American Modern Ensemble American Modern Recordings Mostly Modern Festival The Portfolio Composer Ep. 2: Robert Paterson The Portfolio Composer Ep. 108: Robert Paterson on Selling Yourself

Originally aired 4/42017 I met composer Reg Unterseher at the Chorus American conference a few years ago, and was taken with some of the things he had to say about how composers can be better-served by the community. He joins me this week to talk about the benefits of curation, the future of electronic scores, and different forms of distribution and publication. Links: Reg Unterseher Reg on Facebook Northwest Choral Publishers

Originally aired 3/2/2017 After ten months of doing this show, I finally managed to get my husband, Darien Shulman, on the podcast! Darien is a composer who started his musical career as a concert music composer, and has made the transition to writing for TV and film. He also wrote the MPP & CGDB theme music, and does the MPP voiceover. In this week's episode, we talk about different philosophies of music education, writing for commercials, and what it takes to kill your darlings. Download the episode here » Links: Darien Shulman Darien on Twitter Storefront Music Brooklyn Music Factory

Originally aired 3/21/2017 Composer Alexandra Gardner (Ep. 9) returns to talk about what should and shouldn't go into your composer website. Links: Alexandra Gardner Dale Trumbore: Seven Things to Remove from Your Website DaleTrubmore.com Caroline Shaw Agata Zubel Harold Meltzer

Originally aired 3/14/2017 Jason Heath is a bassist and fellow podcaster. His show Contrabass Conversations has been running for nearly a decade, and helps bass players with their artistry, auditioning, and careers. During the course of our conversation, we talked about working with and getting commissions from school ensembles, and ways that composers and performers can leverage podcasting and blogging. Download the episode here » Links: Contrabass Conversations Double Bass Blog Jason Heath Winning the Audition Arts Hacker Inside the Arts Adaptistration: The Growing World of Classical Music Podcasts Michael Hyatt: Why You Need a Platform to Succeed Pat Flynn, Smart Passive Income: Will It Fly? Just Start: take Action, Embrace Uncertainty, Create the Future Launch Crush It!

Originally aired on 3/6/2017 Kevin Clark is a philanthropy consultant, product manager, and composer working to help artists thrive. He is the brains behind the New Music USA project platform, and speaks and writes about arts economics, technology in the arts and non-profit worlds, and philanthropy. During the course of our conversation, we talked about some of the interesting up-and-coming organizations that he consults for, making art sustainable, Baumol's cost disease, and fundraising with Kickstarter. Links: Kevin Clark Twitter CASH Music Live Music Project

Originally aired 2/27/2017 In addition to his work as a composer, Jonathan Newman is the Director of Composition & Coordinator of New Music at the Shenandoah Conservatory; he was also a founding member of the composer consortium BCM International. During the course of our conversation, we talked about writing for educational ensembles, the history and impact of BCM International, and being “pigeonholed”. Download the episode here » Links: JonathanNewman.com Jonathan on Facebook Jonathan on Twitter BCM International BCM Forums

Originally aired 2/20/2017 Anne Lanzilotti is a violist, composer, and fierce advocate of contemporary music. She is a member of The Rhythm Method string quartet, co-founder for Kalikolehua — El Sistema Hawai‘i, and a member of the string faculty at NYU Steinhardt, and she created “Shaken Not Stuttered”, an online resource of extended techniques for strings used in Andrew Norman's orchestral and chamber works. During the course of our conversation, she and I talked about collaboration, the joys and challenges of commissioning, and new music advocacy. Links: Anne Lanzilotti Shaken Not Stuttered The Rhythm Method Kalikolehua — El Sistema Hawai‘i

Originally aired 2/13/2017 For this week's episode, I sat down to chat with David and Matthew Maslanka. David is a renowned composer, often known for his extensive catalog of works for wind ensemble; and Matthew, David's son, is a euphonist and engraver, and handles the operations for publishing David's music. During the course of the conversation, we talked about the trajectory of David's career and the important changes he made and risks he took along the way, how Matthew handles publishing David's works, and the importance of being true to your music and yourself. Links: David Maslanka Matthew Maslanka Music Preparation

Originally aired 2/6/2017 In her first appearance on the show exactly 30 episodes ago, Dale Trumbore mentioned How to Go On, her secular requiem commissioned by Choral Arts Initiative. She explained the plan to premiere and record the piece with the ensemble, and promised to be back to talk about the process. So this week, she and CAI Artistic Director Brandon Elliott join me to talk about the process of the preparation and recording of the album: from the project's genesis through fundraising, marketing recording, and post-production, up to the impending release this month.

Originally aired 1/30/2017 Joshua Gersen is, in addition to being a composer, the Musical Director of the New York Youth Symphony and Assistant Conductor of the New York Philharmonic. An advocate for new music, he helps to oversee the NYYS's annual composer competition, which awards commissions to three composers under 30. During the course of our conversation,w e talked about the role of youth orchestras, the nature of orchestral writing, and the annual NYYS composition competition. Links: Joshua Gersen New York Youth Symphony

Originally aired 1/23/2017 Scott Tegge, tubist for the Gaudete Brass, knows how to hustle, and he's genuinely an awesome guy. We met at the “composer hang” coordinated by Frank J. Oteri during the Midwest Clinic, and I knew right away that he had to be a guest on the show. In addition to all the work he does for the quintet, he also teaches an insane amount, and is in the process of creating a new non-profit to help generate more opportunities for brass players. During the course of our conversation, a few of the things we talked about were: collaborations (both good and bad), having diversified revenue, and knowing how to fundraise effectively. Links: Gaudete Brass Cedille Records: sevenfive – The John Corigliano Effect iTunes: sevenfive – The John Corigliano Effect

Originally aired 1/16/2017 William J. Lackey is one of the many cool people I met at the Midwest Clinic. In addition to his work as a composer, Billy has been the Administrative Director at the Mizzou New Music Initiative, and served on the Boards of the newEar Contemporary Chamber Ensemble, the Odyssey Chamber Music Series, and the Kansas City Electronic Music and Arts Alliance. He's currently a Vice President of Programs at the American Composers Forum, and he brings all of the skills he learned in these various positions to bear in his composing career. During the course of our conversation, we chatted about transformative teachers, learning administrative skills, and a host of opportunities available for composers through the American Composers Forum. Links: William J. Lackey Soundcloud American Composers Forum Mizzou New Music Initiative & International Composers Festival

In Part 2 of my conversation with Frank J. Oteri, we talk about reconciling different genres, thinking about audiences and their (lack of) preconceptions, and amateurism.

To say that Frank J. Oteri has a multi-faceted career in music is a gross understatement. In addition to his own work as a composer, he has been the Co-Editor for NewMusicBox since it was created in 1999, where he writes and reports on all manner of topics relating to the realm of new music, and he bears the unique title of Composer Advocate at New Music USA. He works tirelessly on behalf of composers in the US and abroad, and has a breadth and depth of knowledge of living composers and their works that is, quite simply, staggering. I've been friends with Frank and his wife Trudy Chan (Ep. 25) for years, and it's always a joy to hang out and chat with either of them. So for this week, Frank and I sat down with a bottle of wine, and talked for over two hours! Rest assured, I've split the conversation into two parts so that the second half will come out next week. In Part 1 of this lengthy conversation, we talk about pushing artistic boundaries, the nature of “originality”, and what it means to be an advocate for new music. Links: Frank J. Oteri Frank's writings at NewMusicBox Andrew Norman: On Being Named Composer of the Year by Musical America

I met Reena Esmail a few years ago when my friend Marc Peloquin (Ep. 20) featured her on the KeyedUp MusicProject. I was immediately taken with her musical style, and was thrilled to get to know her in person after the concert. We tried for over two months to get this episode to happen, but our schedules refused to cooperate until just a few days before Christmas. Reena has some wonderful things to say on a host of topics, and I think that this is the perfect way to close out the year on a note of reflection and coming together. During the course of our conversation, we chatted about: What community feels like in the world of new music Being inclusive, especially beyond the world of musicians The “underbelly” of niche marketing The pull of feeling like a representative for a minority Being a woman composer Some composers Reena thinks you should know about: Derrick Spiva Jr. Valerie Coleman Jeffrey Mumford Juan Pablo Contreras Gabriela Lena Frank Links: Reena Esmail KUSC: Arts Alive interview with Reena The Portfolio Composer: Ep. 58 Laura van Demoot Lipsky: Trauma Stewardship Street Symphony Urban Voices Project Salastina Music Society River Oaks Chamber Orchestra

After several weeks of emailing to set up this episode, Stacy Garrop and I met in person at The Midwest Clinic, and had a wonderful time getting to know one another between Clinic events. A few days after I returned to NYC, we sat down for this conversation. Stacy's a great composer, and I had the pleasure of hearing her fantastic brass quintet Legends of Olympus performed by the Gaudete Brass while I was in Chicago. During the course of our conversation, we talk about: The Midwest Clinic Planning for conferences Writing music for different levels of ability Email newsletters Having advocates for your music Consistency in sending your email newsletters Being shy Stepping into a more outgoing persona Reaching out to new ensembles Formality and proper forms of address Tailoring your bio to the occasion Sending emails at the appropriate time Going freelance full-time The potential pitfalls of being a freelancer Planning your freelance finances Assessing your tolerance for risk Links: Stacy Garrop Composer Inklings Rusch: The Freelancer's Survival Guide

I'm joined this week by a number of friends and colleagues to break down The Midwest Clinic, which we all just attended – most of us for the first time. Trudy Chan returns to the show, then Frank J. Oteri (Trudy's husband, and the founder/co-editor of NewMusicBox) joins the conversation, then Sean Perrin of the Clarineat podcast and Garrett Hope (the Justin Timberlake to MPP's SNL) have a nice chat about our first experiences at the conference. In short: it's HUGE, it's overwhelming for a first-timer, and it's an amazing opportunity for composers and for musicians of all stripes to network and to explore a wealth of music, most of it new. Links: The Midwest Clinic Clarineat with Sean Perrin

After we spoke in Episode 19, Scott mentioned that we should have looked at one of my previous NMUSA Project Grant applications as an example to help other applicants, and I immediately started kicking myself for not thinking of that earlier. So this week, that's exactly how we start the episode – we look through two of my previous applications (screen-capped below). Then we go on to look at a few applications from the String Orchestra of Brooklyn (with the permission and at the behest of Ep. 23 guest Emily Bookwalter), as well as a broad look at some previously-awarded projects. It's a great talk, and I absolutely learned a TON in the process. On a personal note: great job to all of you who have been emailing Scott and his team about your applications after he was on the show earlier this Fall. That's exactly what I was hoping for, and exactly what we all need to do to make our applications better! Scroll down for screencaps and audio samples from the applications that Scott and I talk about. Links: The Portfolio Composer: Ep. 11 – Missy Mazzoli on Grant Writing and Marketing Yourself

Jay Venute is the wit and talent behind Jerk Birds and the webcomic Doodle Park. He's also a very close friend, a regular listener to the show despite not being a musician, and a constant sounding board for my myriad harebrained ideas. This week, we commemorate the six month anniversary of the show by talking about how it came to be, the trials and tribulations of all the behind-the-scenes machinations, and the various lessons I've learned along the way. We also spend time talking about our artistic common ground, showing appreciation, support systems, and the importance of being publicly vulnerable. Links: Jerk Birds Doodle Park Kristine Kathryn Rusch: Freelancer's Survival Guide The Portfolio Composer Garrett Hope

Angela Myles Beeching, author of the well-known book Beyond Talent: Creating a Successful Career in Music, has created and run entrepreneurship programs in a number of major music schools throughout the country, and now is a full-time career consultant for working musicians. This week, she joins me to talk about her work with musicians, and some tips for composers and performers. Also, Angela has made a very generous offer to the MPP community: between now and December 14, 2016, she is offering a free 30-minute career consultation! Just email her at Angela@BeyondTalentConsulting.com, and mention that you heard her here. During the course of our conversation, we touched on: The perceptions of entrepreneurship Using entrepreneurial skills appropriately Teaching the entrepreneurial “mentality” vs. concrete skills Listening to your critical voice Time management Setting up creative blocks Forming habits Setting a pre-creative ritual Minimizing distractions during creative time Being in a space conducive to writing Setting regular creative habits Steven Pressfield's The War of Art Describing your music Angela's generous offer to MPP listeners Going to conferences The Chamber Music America national conference Links: Angela Myles Beeching Beyond Talent Steven Pressfield: The War of Art New Music Box: You Need a Better Bio “Inside Morton's Head”: Morton Gould on the creative process “Success & Legacy” “Five Productivity Hacks”

Trudy Chan has had a multifaceted career in music. The former Senior Manager of Promotion at Boosey & Hawkes, Trudy now heads her own boutique composer management company, and works as a collaborative pianist, most notably as one half of the Cheah Chan Duo, which puts on six concerts of art song and piano music each season. Trudy and I have been friends for years, and we've had the pleasure of performing together several times. During the course of our conversation, we touched on: Friendship as the basis for working relationships Working for a traditional publisher Approaching performers and ensembles Doing your research The Virtue of Patience Being judicious in mailing materials Preparing for conferences The importance of showing up The dance of building relationships Business partners Some advantages and disadvantages of traditional publishing Submission tips Program notes Follow-up emails Black Tea Music The differences between promotion and publicity Links: Black Tea Music Cheah Chan Duo

My friend and fellow podcaster – and MPP Superfriend – Garrett Hope is back this week to talk with me about an idea that's not super-well-known within the music community, but has been helping artists, professionals, and small business owners for nearly a century: Mastermind Groups. Garrett and I are members of a small mastermind group of music podcasters and bloggers, and it's in large part thanks to this group of wonderful musicians that I've continued to improve this show over the past few months. What is a mastermind? Let Garrett explain it to you in this week's episode, where we discuss the benefits of creating a group of peer mentors, how to gracefully accept criticism, being accountable, and building a base of support. And head on over to Garrett's show The Portfolio Composer, where I'm this week's guest: Episode 99 – just before Garrett's landmark 100th episode! Links: Our mastermind guidelines Garrett Hope The Portfolio Composer Napoleon Hill: The Law of Success Napoleon Hill: Think and Grow Rich

Emily Bookwalter is a violist, the Director of External Affairs for the String Orchestra of Brooklyn, and the Executive Director of New Amsterdam Records. In short, Emily does all the things. This is a fantastic conversation where we riff on marketing, storytelling, the dargers/usefulness of -isms, community, musical citizenship, and how the viola is the best instrument. Soap-boxes abound. And then Google Hangouts lost the last six minutes of the broadcast. Seriously. Fortunately, I was talking for most of those six minutes, so very little of import was lost.

Kathleen Supové is an excellent pianist with a flair for the theatrical and a deep love for new music. Although she studied within the classical tradition, she feels the need to forge new paths and create new traditions for new music. We spoke a few days before The Debussy Effect, Kathleen's latest album of works written for her, was released on New Focus Records. During our conversation, we talked about: Virtuosity Curation Marathon concerts: the good and the not so good Having long-term relationships with composers and other colleagues Recording projects The Debussy Effect Recreational listening Links: Kathleen Supové Kathleen Supové & The Exploding Piano on Facebook The Debussy Effect

Seth Hanes is Philadelphia-based horn player and entrepreneur, and runs the excellent website The Musician's Guide to Hustling, where he helps musicians get more gigs and create more – and more rewarding – connections with other musicians. I met Seth when he invited me to come on his site to talk about the differences between traditional publishing and self publishing, and I was impressed with his level of knowledge on marketing and effective promotion. Seth just released his first book, Break into the Scene: A Musician's Guide to Making Connections, Creating Opportunities, and Launching a Career, today, and I think that it's a great addition to the library of any musician who wants clear, actionable advice on how to improve their career. In the course of our conversation, we covered: Freelancing Having a versatile skillset Scarcity vs abundance Reaching out Connecting with contractors Marketing fundamentals Considering the challenges of your prospective collaborators Breaking into the Scene Links Seth Hanes Seth on Twitter The Musician's Guide to Hustling Break Into the Scene on Amazon BreakIntoTheScene.com Dennis on The Musician's Guide to Hustling

In June 2005, my composition teacher at the time told me that he was having his Pianos Variations premiered by a pianist named Marc Peloquin at the Bloomingdale School of Music, and that if I was interested, I should go. I arrived rather early, met Marc, and ended up helping him to set up chairs for the recital. The concert was wonderful, and in addition to Daron's Variations, included some works by Virgil Thomson and David Del Tredici. Afterward, I was invited to a post-concert dinner a few blocks away with Marc and his partner (now husband) Seth, Chester Biscardi, and David Del Tredici, and the five of us have been good friends ever since. (I like to tell the story of how I only ordered french fries, claiming that I had eaten before the concert, when in fact french fries were all I could afford at the time. The life of a young artist!) Nine months after that concert and dinner, Marc and I performed together for the first time on the inaugural Tobenski-Algera Concert. We perform together regularly, have toured together, and formed a small record label to release our recordings of new vocal music. Marc was also the Best Man at my wedding last year. During this week's conversation, we talked about: The value of recording previously-unrecorded works Approaching promotion from a project-oriented standpoint KeyedUp MusicProject Curation Community The economics of recording Finding a label or self-releasing your recordings Collaboration Learning from experience How we run Perfect Enemy Records “Life Rolls” Rolling with the punches Links: Marc Peloquin KeyedUp MusicProject Perfect Enemy Records Kristine Kathryn Rusch: One Phone Call from Our Knees

For this week's episode, I sat down with Scott Winship, the Director of Grantmaking at New Music USA to talk about the organization's Project Grants, and answer a few listener questions. It was a great conversation with a lot of really great tips for making your application the best it can be. Some of the things we talked about were: The American Music Center & Meet the Composer merger, which created New Music USA How the NMUSA are a reaction to the ways that artists make their art today The grant application process The panel process The general breakdown of the awards Effective work samples Making use of collaborator profiles Narratives & project descriptions Giving yourself time to put together a compelling application Getting feedback Question: When is the music “not enough”? Your budget The private description Question: Why does it seem like the “usual suspects” seem to get awarded every round? Question: Is there a weight to individual, ensemble, or organization applications? The new grant deadline for 2016/2017 Links: New Music USA American Composers Forum

Recently declared by Opera News to be a “game changing” company that is redefining American opera, New York City-based Rhymes With Opera started just like most new music ensembles – as a handful of like-minded friends who just wanted to do good work – and have become a well-established, well-respected organization creating a whole new set of operatic repertoire for the 21st century. I was thrilled to sit down with all five of the founding members to talk about the company's successes and growing pains, and their advice for new music ensembles that are just starting out. During the course of the conversation, we talked about: The history and mission of Rhymes With Opera Deciding your path as an organization Not over-extending your ensemble Finding organizational stability Rhyme With Opera's beginning steps and missteps The importance of forming a solid Board of Directors Limiting your organizational activities to core competencies Surrounding yourself with talent Outsourcing effectively Taking incremental steps toward your goals Knowing your budget in order to fundraise effectively Crowdfunding Cultivating a donor base The current state of American opera and concert music in general The DIY mentality in concert music today Supporting new music as an organizational goal Links: Rhymes With Opera George Lam Ruby Fulton Bonnie Lander Elisabeth Halliday Robert Maril Opera News: Indies Ascending

Rose Marshack is a professor of Arts Technology and Music Business at Illinois State University (my alma mater), as well as the bass player for the indie rock band Poster Children. I met Rose when I spoke to her Music Business students for the first time in 2013, and immediately loved her enthusiasm for giving her students the skills they need to survive post-graduation. During the course of our conversation, we talked about: Giving back Maintaining connections with your alma mater “Band Karma” The different approaches to teaching music business Different ways to make a living as a musician Teaching as a form of learning Surrounding yourself with talent Links: Poster Children André Gide: The Counterfeiters The Smarter Artist: What Do You Mean by DVD Extras? Self-Publishing Podcast: Forging Unbreakable Bonds with Readers Who Love You

In addition to being a talented composer, Daniel Gilliam is the Director of Programming for WUOL Classical 90.5 in Louisville, KY. We got to know one another a number of years ago on Twitter, and finally met in “meatspace”, along with Dale Trumbore, over drinks at the 2012 Chorus America conference in Minneapolis, MN. During the course of our conversation we touched on: The responsibilities of a classical radio Program Director Having a day job outside of academia How your paycheck doesn't define you as an artist – your art does Building relationships Being able to talk about your music with non-musicians Neil deGrasse Tyson as an ambassador of science An overview of classical radio Audience, data and fulfilling mission Defining the audience for classical radio How most new music performers aren't the target audience for classical radio Submitting recordings to classical stations The quality of your materials Follow-up techniques Doing your research The importance of having a broad and deep knowledge of the classical repertoire Playing the long game and having patience Links: Daniel Gilliam / Fictive Music WUOL Classical 90.5 MusicSpoke: “Just Relax” by Daniel Gilliam Q2 Radio Second Inversion

Garrett Hope is a composer, entrepreneur, and business coach, as well as the podcaster behind The Portfolio Composer (originally titled Composer on Fire). Like me, he loves helping other composers to navigate their careers, and he's currently putting together an online course, which will launch in September, to teach composers how to market their works more effectively. During our wide-ranging conversation, we talked about: The Portfolio Composer (née Composer on Fire) “Done is better than perfect” Believing in yourself and having the courage to go out and pursue your dreams “What does it mean to market and sell yourself?” Thinking like a small business owner Some basic marketing principles and advice How your art becomes a product after you've finished creating it No matter what kind of music you write, there is a market for it Garrett's Marketing for Composers course How marketing doesn't have to lead to financial benefit – it can just help to secure more performances Legacy “Know your why” Surrounding yourself with talent A bit about podcasting Non-musical marketing Be yourself & be genuine The benefits of sharing your process with your audience Development diaries: how they help you grow as an artist, and how they can help or inspire your audience “DVD Extras” “Like, Know, and Trust” Links: Garrett Hope Marketing for Composers The Portfolio Composer Simon Sinek: Start with Why Misia by Robert Fitzdale and Arthur Gold Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin

Three months after his first appearance on the show, entertainment/copyright lawyer and MPP Superfriend Marc Ostrow is back to talk some more about Fair Use, with me supplying a few hypothetical situations. But more importantly, Marc lays out the Department of Justice's recent and unexpected ruling that PROs must abandon 70+ years of established industry practice and adopt a 100% Licensing regime, and what that means for you. During the conversation, we covered: A history of ASCAP, BMI, and their consent decrees Rate courts and “reasonable rates” How consent decrees allow new streaming services to operate without paying for a license The differences between the ASCAP & BMI consent decrees How the PROs want their consent decrees to be relaxed to allow for sync and mechanical licensing How the Department of Justice ruled on 100% Licensing rather than addressing long-standing industry concerns An explanation of 100% Licensing vs. Fractional Licensing Who owns what in a collaborative effort “Absent a written agreement” How 100% Licensing impacts working musicians, the heirs of musicians who have passed, and musicians working outside the US How the DoJ's ruling vitiates existing contracts The Copyright Office's reaction to the DoJ's ruling How the DoJ's ruling might prevent many artists from collaborating with each other Who benefits from 100% Licensing (hint: it's not you) The PRO's challenges to the ruling, and potential outcomes A recap of Fair Use principles Some Fair Use hypothetical situations for composers, performers, and educators Links: Marc Ostrow: Why DOJ's Mandate of 100% Licensing of Works by ASCAP and BMI is 100% Lunacy Marc Ostrow: 100% Licensing summary and reaction Marc Ostrow: Letter to DoJ U.S. Copyright Office's reaction to 100% Licensing ruling MusicTechPolicy Podcast explaining 100% Licensing Marc Ostrow: “Do You Have The Chutzpah To Take A Gamble On Fair Use?”

Megan Ihnen is a Des Moines, IA-based mezzo-soprano and “tireless promoter of contemporary classical music for the voice.” For this week's episode, we sat down to talk about building community, being generous, and writing for the voice. Throughout the conversation we covered: Getting inspiration from other fields Building a career outside of NYC Building local music communities Megan's mission statement of building relationships in concentric circles Entrepreneurship & generosity Being a part of the larger community Starting new music ensembles with close colleagues Fostering the works of living composers as a lynchpin to your career How singers work with text (and subtext) Close collaboration between composers and performers Getting to know your collaborator's particular strengths Some pointers on writing for the voice Sending music to vocalists How Megan finds music to perform Finding and fostering your tribe Links: Megan Ihnen Megan on Twitter Megan on Istagram The Sybaritic Singer 29 Days to Diva Avaloch Farm Music Institute Seen/Heard Trio #musochat